Awakening: Destiny's Dream
by SRV Zephyr
Summary: Your typical Awakening self-insert, but with a bit of a Destiny twist. Expect time traveling robots, interdimensional zombie space demons, and other paracausal space magic bullshit (read: Normal Destiny stuff). Rated M for strong language, violence, and sexual themes and humor.
1. Chapter 1 (Noah)

**Chapter 1 (Noah)**

I woke with a groan, my entire body aching. Looking up, I confirmed what I was afraid of. My car was totaled. "Damn deer," I muttered as I wiped a trickle of blood from my forehead.

The last thing I remembered before blacking out earlier was swerving off the road to avoid the creature. Apparently, I had gone off the side of the hill. I undid my seatbelt and hopped out of the car shakily. I slowly climbed up the small hill, and what I saw concerned me. "Where the fuck is the road?" With a frown, I turned around and went back down the hill towards my car. I opened the passenger side and grabbed my handgun from the glove compartment, then reached over the back of the seat and grabbed my hunting bag. Inside were three bottles of water, a Red Bull, my anti-depressants, and enough food to last me maybe 2 days. Slamming the door shut, I popped open my trunk and grabbed my rifle and some spare ammo. I didn't know where I was, and the wild animals in the area could be dangerous. Satisfied with my gear I set out to find the road.

* * *

After walking through the woods for a short while, I caught the scent of a campfire. I looked up, and sure enough, there was smoke billowing up from the trees in the distance. I hurried off in that direction. As I neared the clearing, I heard four voices. Two of them were male, and the other two were female. I cleared my throat before entering the clearing in order to make myself known and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw who was sitting around the campfire. _This is fucking ridiculous. I did not just get sent into a video game._

"Excuse me, I seem to have gotten extremely lost while hunting and-" I began, but Fredrick stood up immediately and leveled his lance at me. I tightened my grip on my rifle in response but kept the weapon pointed to the ground. "At ease Fredrick," Chrom said as he reached out a hand towards him. The prince slowly approached me, eyeing my weapon and strange clothing before speaking to me. "What is your name, and why are you dressed so… oddly?"

"My name is Noah. As for why I'm dressed this way," I looked down at my outfit. I was dressed in combat boots, dark blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and my dad's old army jacket. "I'm not from around here."

"Clearly. You may be wondering who I am then," Chrom began as he introduced me to the group. He didn't know that I already knew who they all were, but I wasn't going to let my little secret slip just yet. _Crap, this is after Southtown, which means Lucina and the Risen show up tonight. I wonder if she knows about me._

Chrom invited me to join them on the way back to Ylisstol, and then the 5 of us chatted for a while before the others drifted off to sleep. I, however, knew what was coming and stayed up, drinking my only Red Bull. A few hours passed, and finally, Chrom and Lissa woke, looking surprised to see me awake. "Couldn't sleep," I said with a shrug. The two headed off into the forest and I followed, bringing my rifle with me. The ground began to shake, and just on cue, a portal appeared in the sky. Chrom and Lissa were stunned, but I just grimaced.

"Lissa, RUN!" Chrom shouted as Risen began to spill from the portal. As she began to run, I noticed a slight shimmer of electricity in the air, but I couldn't quite place it. For now, my attention was on the monsters in front of me. I raised my rifle and fired, dropping the first beast as the shout rang out through the woods. Chrom turned to me in shock but was quickly distracted by one of the monsters.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye after that. Lissa got cornered by one of the Risen, but Lucina appeared and rushed to save her. I snapped my rifle up and shot the monster Lucina was struggling against before she could even ask for help. Chrom and Lissa raced off to find Robin and Fredrick, and Lucina moved to disappear, but the shimmer of electricity I noticed earlier suddenly exploded in front of her, and an armored figure appeared. _No fucking way._

Standing in front of us was a Hunter Guardian, straight out of Destiny. On his arm was the Aegis from the Vault of Glass raid. Before I could register this though, Lucina plunged her sword through his gut. "Are you fucking crazy woman?" I yelled. Before she could explain herself though, the Guardian's Ghost revived him.

"Thank you," the Hunter gasped. "I thought I'd be stuck jumping backward in time forever." His resurrection caught Lucina by surprise though, as she fell backward.

"When you asked me to kill you before…"

"Again, thank you for following through with that."

I coughed, catching the attention of both time travelers. "The time travelers reunion can wait, right now the others need our help with the Risen."

"Noah? I know how you know about me, but that doesn't explain-"

"The Guardian? Yeah," I turned to face the Hunter. "What's your name, and who's the current Hunter Vanguard?" This seemed to surprise the man, as he visibly flinched at the second question.

"My name is Connor. As for who the Vanguard is… it's a long story."

"I take it that means Cayde-6 is dead then. Good to know, I have an idea of what your arsenal might be."

"How did you-"

"We should really be helping the others," Lucina interrupted.

"In a moment," I shot back. I needed to asses Connor's skill. "Are you the Hivebane?" Again, my question caught the Hunter off guard. To his credit though, he recovered quickly, nodding his head yes.

"How do you know so much about me and my world?" he asked.

"Like you, I'm not from around here," I replied. Connor nodded, seemingly satisfied for now. "Alright, let's go help the others."

With that, I darted off towards where the others were fighting, with Lucina and Connor right behind me. The Hunter quickly sped past the two of us and was immediately lost in the fray. The man was a whirl of death and bullets, and the display of combat prowess was awe inspiring. The air was filled with the sound of gunfire, and I realized that he had charged straight for the largest group of Risen. I smirked and shook my head in disbelief before dropping to one knee and raising my rifle to pick off the stragglers around him. There was a flash of movement off to my right, and I spun just in time to raise my rifle and catch a blow from the axe of a Risen.

"Ack! Help!" I shouted, hoping somebody would hear me. The response I got, however, was not the one I was expecting. Risen standing over me suddenly had a sword protruding from its gut, but when the monster suddenly turned to ash, the sword clattered to the ground. That was when I realized what it was. It was The Young Wolf's Howl, the sword Lord Saladin gave you as a reward for completing the Rise of Iron DLC. Connor had _thrown_ a fucking sword at the creature. "Use it wisely!" He shouted from across the field. I tossed my now ruined rifle aside and picked up the sword, finding it surprisingly light. With a grin, I hopped back into the fight.

* * *

**Author's Note: I plan to switch back and forth a bit between the two OCs. If you made it this far, I hope that means you enjoyed this. Be on the lookout for more soon.**


	2. Chapter 2 (Connor)

**Author's Note: This chapter starts before the previous one, but ends up lining up with it. I also decided to go with a third person perspective for Connor, since he isn't me like the self-insert character is supposed to be.**

* * *

**Chapter 2 (Connor)**

"DAMMIT!" Connor shouted. This was supposed to be a simple scouting mission. Nothing in the report from Ikora's Hidden suggested that the Vault of Glass had come back online. Now he was trapped here.

"Look on the bright side," his Ghost said as it appeared next to his shoulder. "At least we know how this place works."

"Oh yeah, because knowing that the Vex in here can erase me from existence with just a thought makes being trapped in here with them more bearable," Connor quipped back. He shook his head and sighed. "Let's just find a way out of here."

* * *

Connor began his descent into the Vault, reaching the Templar's Well fairly quickly. He jumped down into the area where his old fireteam had slain the Templar several years ago, double jumping at the last moment to break his fall. The giant chamber was quiet, save for the gentle hum of the Aegis in the center of the arena. With a soft chuckle, Connor strode forward to pick the relic up. "I wish I could thank you for your sacrifice in person Kabr. You gave your life to make this shield, and without it my team never could have conquered this place," he said as he fastened the Aegis to his arm. Suddenly, the relic shifted, melding itself with his gauntlet.

"_Thank you, Hunter,"_ the shield seemed to whisper. "_You did what I could not. Take the Aegis, as a token of my thanks. Call upon its power whenever you may need it."_ With that, the blue energy of the shield dissipated, leaving only the relic's core visible. Connor smiled and headed deeper into the Vault.

After exiting through the back of the Templar's Well and descending the cliff face into the Gorgon's Labyrinth, Connor made another stop. The Labyrinth was empty, allowing him to walk peacefully to the final resting place of another Guardian, and a member of Kabr's old fireteam. Connor stood solemnly before the bones of the Warlock Praedyth, when the Aegis whispered again. This time though, it wasn't talking to him.

"_Praedyth, old friend, I'm so sorry that I brought this fate upon you. You deserved so much better. I hope you can forgive me."_

Connor stood there for a moment longer, debating whether he should tell Kabr —who seemed to somehow still be alive inside the Aegis— that Praedyth had returned from the dead when the Taken invaded the Vault a few years back, only for him to die again after Connor had slain the monsters, but eventually decided not to. He didn't want to cause the former Titan any more turmoil.

* * *

After paying his respects to Praedyth, Connor made his way to the throne room. It was here that his fireteam had defeated Atheon, Time's Conflux. He stood in the entrance for a few moments, basking in the memory of one of his greatest victories. His reverie was shattered though when the Vex time gate on the right side of the room powered up. "That gate was the one that led to the past, right?" Connor asked his Ghost.

"Yeah, it was. Now that Atheon is dead though, it should just connect to another gate in the Vex network. Hopefully."

"Great. Thanks for filling me with confidence." Connor took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever might come next, and stepped through the portal.

* * *

Connor's vision flashed white as the portal sent him to wherever it was linked. He barely had time to register where he was before his vision flashed again. He was in the same place as before, but it was different. "Oh no." The portal had malfunctioned. He was still being sent through time. Connor's vision flashed again, and this time there were a group of people were before him. One of them stood out from the rest. A woman, with long blue hair and a fancy sword at her waist. The group was startled by his sudden appearance, as their conversation stopped as soon as he appeared, but not before he heard one of them mention time travel. Connor grabbed the blue-haired woman by the shoulder. Startled, she turned to face him "Listen, I don't know how long I have. I'm stuck traveling through time. If you ever see me again, kill me. It should fix the time loop," he told her. The woman nodded, a slight tinge of fear on her face. Connor's vision flashed again, and they were gone.

Connor spent the next few weeks traveling, both across time and the strange new land that he found himself in. Then one day, as he was wandering through the forest, his vision flashed white, and he suddenly found himself with a sword in his gut. Looking up, he recognized the blue hair of the woman he had talked to upon arriving in this world. She was wearing a mask and had her long hair hidden, but it was without a doubt the same person.

Then he died.

Connor's Ghost was there immediately, and soon the Hunter was breathing again.

"Thank you," the Hunter gasped. "I thought I'd be stuck in a time loop forever." His resurrection caught the woman by surprise though, as she fell backward.

"When you asked me to kill you before…" she began.

"Again, thank you for following through with that."

There was a cough, catching his attention. He turned and found another man standing there, dressed in a style that suggested he was from before the first Golden Age. This was supported by the rifle he was holding, and the US Army jacket that he wore. "The time travelers reunion can wait, right now the others need our help with the Risen," the man spoke.

"Noah? I know how you know about me, but that doesn't explain-" the woman began.

"The Guardian? Yeah," the man, apparently named Noah, turned to face Connor. "What's your name, and who's the current Hunter Vanguard?" Connor flinched at the second question. He still hadn't gotten over Cayde's death.

"My name is Connor. As for who the Vanguard is… it's a long story."

"I take it that means Cayde-6 is dead then. Good to know, I have an idea of what your arsenal might be."

"How did you-"

"We should really be helping the others," the woman interrupted.

"In a moment," Noah snapped. "Are you the Hivebane?" Again, Connor flinched. He recovered much quicker this time though and shook his head yes.

"How do you know so much about me and my world?" Connor asked.

"Like you, I'm not from around here," Noah replied. Connor nodded, finding the answer sufficient.

"Alright, let's go help the others," Noah said before racing off. Connor turned to find the woman racing off after the man. He shrugged and followed them.

* * *

**AN:** **Two chapters in two days! Enjoy it while it lasts, because I have no idea how long I'll be able to keep up this schedule. I have an idea of who I want to pair Connor with, but if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.**


	3. Chapter 3 (Connor)

**Chapter 3 (Connor)**

Connor jumped straight into the largest group of monsters, his Breakneck auto-rifle roaring out into the night. The monsters felt like Taken but felt different at the same time. It didn't matter though. The creatures fell to his weapons just like every other enemy that had ever stood before him. He raked his Breakneck across a trio of monsters, then tossed a fan of flaming knives at another three before reloading the rifle. His movements were fluid as he dodged and weaved between swords, axes, and lances. With each kill, the Hunter slipped deeper and deeper into what was know as "Gunslinger's Trance." In this state, he was much more nimble and aware. Unfortunately, the trance didn't last long, as it was broken when he heard Noah cry for help. Connor looked over to see that Noah had been knocked to the ground by one of the creatures.

Connor took in the scene in an instant. The creature was standing over him with an ax pressing against Noah's now ruined rifle, which meant he needed a new weapon. Connor summoned one of his swords, grabbed it by the blade, and threw it like a javelin. The sword soared through the air until it met its mark, impaling itself in the monster's back. He waited for the monster to turn the ash before shouting, "Use it wisely!" Satisfied that Noah was safe for the moment, Connor turned back to the horde surrounding him.

The fighting continued, and Connor eventually met up with several others. There was a woman in a black cloak named Robin, and another blue-haired individual who said his name was Chrom. The three of them rushed towards one of the last remaining creatures. As he drew closer, he felt a wave of darkness roll over him, emanating from the creature. "Careful," he called out to Chrom and Robin. "This one feels strong-" His words were cut short as the creature's ax soared through the air and lopped off Connor's head.

His Ghost appeared at his side just as he had done so many times before, and Connor was back on his feet again, good as new.

"By the Gods!" Chrom exclaimed.

Connor ignored him, his gaze falling on the Risen Chieftan. "Now you've pissed me off." The Hunter summoned forth a surge of Solar Light and leaped into the air. He hung there for a split second before flinging forward a barrage of flaming knives. Most of the blades found their mark, while those that didn't exploded in a burst of brilliant fire as the creature disintegrated.

Connor turned back to the two warriors beside him. Both were standing there with mouths agape. Behind them, Noah sauntered up. "That was so much cooler in person."

The battle now over, the others slowly congregated with them. Connor was introduced to the two knights, Fredrick and Sully, the archer Virion, and Chrom's sister Lissa. The blue haired woman appeared again and introduced herself as Marth. He could tell though that she was trying to hide her identity from the others by deepening her voice. Glancing at the others, he could see that Noah wasn't fooled either. Chrom spoke up, and when Connor looked back he found that Marth was gone. "Strange," he muttered to himself.

Apparently, Noah heard him though, as he leaned in close to Connor and whispered, "I'll explain when the others aren't around."

Connor nodded in response. This was a strange world, and even though he knew Noah wasn't from here, the Guardian got the feeling that he knew more about it than even the natives.

The group talked for a bit longer before they finally set out on the road, apparently for the capitol. Connor tried to summon his sparrow but found that he couldn't. With a sigh, he prepared himself for the long walk ahead.

* * *

**AN: ****Another chapter! WOO! I got bored, so I decided to knock out another piece. This one is shorter than the last two, but don't worry, I'll try not to make this a habit. If you've enjoyed the story so far, please leave a review! Stay tuned, I may just knock out another chapter later today (I'll try to make it longer too).**


	4. Chapter 4 (Noah)

**Chapter 4 (Noah)**

The walk to Ylisstol was a long one. I snickered at Connor's failed attempt to summon his sparrow, earning me what I could only assume was a death glare. It was impossible to tell under his helmet.

"You still haven't told me how you know so much about my world. Or this one for that matter."

I slowed my walking down a bit, increasing the distance between me and the others. Connor took the hint and followed my lead.

"It's a video game," I muttered.

"Ah."

"That's it? 'Ah.' No 'what the fuck?' No existential crisis. In what world is that norm- the Vex. In a world with the Vex, that could be considered normal."

"Bingo. With all the crazy shit they do, I wouldn't be surpised if my entire life was a simulation."

I chuckled at that. "Like the _Matrix_."

Connor laughed along. "Yeah, something like that."

"It's nice, knowing that I have somebody to talk to here that will understand most of my jokes and references."

Connor nodded in agreement. "What about this world? You seem to know a lot about it as well. Same case as my world?"

"Yeah."

"Makes sense."

"Don't tell anybody though. Not only would we have to explain what a video game is, but it might also cause some people to have an actual existential crisis."

"Wasn't planning on it."

We continued on in silence for a bit before Connor turned and asked a question. "So, that Marth character, what's her real name?"

"Lucina," I responded. I lowered my voice and pointed to Chrom. "She's his daughter from the future."

"That explains a lot."

Another brief moment of silence passed, this time though I was the one to break it.

"So, how'd you get here? I'm guessing it had something to do with the Vault of Glass, judging by the Aegis on your arm."

"You'd be correct. The past portal in the throne room malfunctioned and somehow sent me here. What about you?"

"Was driving home from a gun show when a deer jumped out in front of my car. I swerved and went off the road and down a hill. When I came to I was still in my car, but had somehow got transported here."

"Interesting."

"What is?" said a voice from behind us. Startled, I spun around, coming face to face with Robin. Somehow she had gotten behind us with me noticing.

"Jesus Christ woman! Are you fucking trying to kill me?!" I yelled. This earned several confused glances from the others up ahead, and a giggle from Robin.

"Nah, that'd be mean. Besides, you're too cute to kill," she commented with a giggle before prancing off to rejoin the others.

Great. "Fuck me," I groaned.

Connor stifled a laugh next to me. "I'm sure Robin would be happy to grant that request," he said before bursting out laughing.  
I shook my head and waited for him to calm back down. "I'm more interested in someone else."

"Oh? What's wrong with Robin?"

"I can't tell you. It'd spoil the game and ruin the plot twist."

"Alrighty then," he chuckled. "Who's the lucky lady then?"

"Hopefully it'll be Cordelia. We'll meet her later."

"If you say so."

"What about you? Got your eye on anybody so far?"

"Maybe, maybe not. I'm not saying anything until I'm sure I don't want to try and steal your girl."

"You can't fool me Hunter. I saw the way you were staring at Lucina's ass before that battle."

"Damn, you caught me," Connor replied with a chuckle. "Nothing sexier than a woman who knows her way around a sword," he added, laughing softly at his own joke.

"Oh? Not even the ruler of a certain alien city?" I asked, being vague on purpose.

"Okay, Mara Sov is pretty hot, I'll give you that."

After saying that, there was a sparkle of light, and Connor's Ghost appeared next to him. "You two are disgusting," he said in a perfect replica of Nolan North's voice.

"Can it Little Light, I'm sure you liked having Sagira in your shell," I shot back. Connor's Ghost vanished with an indignant huff and the Hunter burst out laughing. I smiled to myself. This was turning out to be the start of a beautiful friendship.

* * *

We continued walking for some time and eventually rejoined the group. Robin immediately popped up next to me, earning a stifled laugh from Connor. Eventually, somebody asked Connor about his strange armor, abilities, and weapons. He spent about an hour explaining things to everybody, and as expected, almost everybody was confused by something. Except for Robin, who was now much more interested in Connor than she was in me. "So you lost your memory too?" she asked.

"I mean, I was dead for who knows how long, so yeah," he replied.

"What's dying like?" Lissa asked with morbid curiosity. It made sense that she would ask that though. She was a healer after all.

"Depends on how you die. Getting shot, stabbed, cut in half, or decapitated all suck. Bleeding out isn't too bad though since you eventually pass out from blood loss. Suffocation and freezing are like that too. Getting blown up isn't that bad as long as you don't have to clean up. Drowning, burning alive, vaporization, and getting poisoned are some of the worst ways to go. Surpisingly, falling to your death is actually quite peaceful if you hit the ground hard enough."

I shook my head and laughed. "You're one of _those_ Guardians. What's the largest Tower jump you've ever seen?"

This earned a laugh from Connor. "16 Guardians and one purple ball."

I laughed at the mention of the beloved purple ball, earning a few curious looks from the others. "You wouldn't get it," I said.

* * *

The conversation eventually returned to somewhat more normal topics, and we finally reached Ylisstol. Unfortunately, Robin's fancy with Connor seemed to die rather quickly, as she quickly returned to her position at my side. I was going to have to find a way to let her down easy. It wasn't that I didn't like Robin, in fact, nothing could be farther from the truth. Robin was one of my favorite characters, but I couldn't be with her like that, for two main reasons. I would have felt like I was taking advantage of her amnesia if we were to date, but that wasn't the main reason. I wouldn't be able to live with the anxiety of wondering what she would choose at the end of the game.

Apparently I'd gotten lost in my head, as before I knew it I was being introduced to Emmeryn. Robin proceeded to make a fool out of herself but seemed to be more embarrassed that she did so in front of me. I needed to end this little crush, and fast. After meeting Emmeryn, Chrom took us to the Shepherds barracks, where we met Vaike, Miriel, Kellam Sumia, and Maribelle. After the introductions were over Chrom approached me. "Care to let me show you around the city?" he asked.  
"Thanks for the offer, but I'd rather explore it myself," I said, looking to make sure Robin hadn't overheard. Chrom apparently noticed this, because he let out a soft chuckle.

"She seems to have taken a shine to you."  
"I've noticed," I said with a sigh. "She's nice and all, but I'd feel like I would be taking advantage of her, what with the amnesia and all that."

Chom nodded. "You're a good man Noah. I'm not sure I could turn her down."

"Oh?" I said as I raised my eyebrow.

Chrom chuckled and handed me a coin purse. "Here. Go familiarize yourself with the city. I'll see if I can't get her mind off you," he said with a smirk.

"Uh-huh. You have fun with that."

"I'm sure I will."

With that, I left the barracks, waving to Connor on my way out.

I was so going to get lost.

* * *

**AN: Wow. Three chapters in one day. Don't expect this often. This will also probably be the last update for the next couple of days because I have two papers I need to write before next week. Next chapter I'll meet Cordelia for the first time. I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. If you have, please leave a review! I'd love to know what people think.**


	5. Chapter 5 (Noah)

**Chapter 5 (Noah)**

After about forty-five minutes of wandering through Ylisstol, I finally admitted defeat. I was lost.

"Probably should have asked Chrom if he had a map of the city. I've never once gotten lost with a map," I muttered to myself. Truthfully, I loved navigating. Growing up I was the navigator every time my family had been to an amusement park. But I'd always had a map for that. I liked maps. Maps were nice.

Feeling my anxiety rising at the prospect of being lost, I stopped walking and took a deep breath.

After standing there for a while I was approached by a city guard.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

It was then I realized how suspicious I probably looked. I was dressed in strange clothes, had a sword at my hip, and was standing motionless in a fairly busy section of the city.

"Yeah, sorry, just got lost. Say, how would I get to the nearest blacksmith?" I responded.

The guard smiled politely, then turned to point at an alleyway to my left. "Just head through that alley and take a right at the end of it. It'll be the building across from the large group of women," he said with a chuckle. "Randal likes to work with his shirt off."

I laughed at that. "Thank you so much."

"My pleasure," the guard replied, sounding an awful lot like a Chick-fil-a worker. "Take good care of that weapon," he added as he nodded at the sword on my hip. "It's a mighty fine looking blade."

"I will. Thank you again," I said before entering the alley he had directed me to. The alleyway was crowded with shadows but was surprisingly clean. It was rather long, splitting off into smaller alleys in several different places. The alleyway was also very narrow, so much so that I wouldn't be able to effectively use my sword. It was at that moment I realized this was the perfect place for an ambush, and I immediately quickened my pace. That guard had set me up! I drew my trusty handgun, a simple Beretta M9A1, knowing that in such close quarters I wouldn't have time to draw and fire on an attacker before they got in close. I checked the 15 round magazine, flicked the safety off, and waited for the worst to happen.

It only took a few seconds after this for the first attacker to show up in front of me, a dagger in his hand. I snapped my gun up and fired two quick shots, both hitting the man dead in the chest, and broke out into a run. There were screams outside the alley as the shots rang out. I quickly glanced over my shoulder to see another man with a dagger running after me, confirming what I had already guessed. The two were probably planning to have me turn around after seeing the first man, only to have me find the second man boxing me in. By killing the first, I'd thrown a wrench into that plan.

I was almost to the alleyway's exit back onto the street. I took another quick look over my shoulder to find that the second man had almost caught up to me. My best bet now was to make it out into the open street where I could use my sword, and seconds later I did just that.

"We would have let you go if you'd just handed your stuff over quietly," the man called to me. "Now we're going to make you pay with more than just your things though."

I laughed. The man had slowed down after I had made it out into the street, most of the people who had been milling about likely scattering after the gunshots earlier. "We? I don't know if you noticed this dumbass, but your friend is dead." I had my pistol trained on him, the distance between us now great enough that I could get some shots in before he could reach me.

"Yes, and you're going to pay for that," he snarled back. Then he whistled, and four more people with daggers stepped out from the nearby buildings. "Kill him, and bring me back the body," the man ordered before slipping back into the alley. The four new attackers grinned and slowly circled me with weapons drawn, but I stood my ground. They continued to circle around like wolves, probably waiting for me to make the first move. Just as it looked like they were about to pounce I raised my pistol at one of them and fired three shots then took off running down the street as more onlookers screamed. The first and third shot went wide, but the second hit my target in the side, and he doubled over as the other three gave chase.

I ran and ran, but the men never gave up. They weren't gaining on me, but they hadn't lost any ground either. I rounded a corner into an open square and slammed into somebody, stopping me dead in my tracks. Looking up I immediately recognized who it was I had run into. It was Cordelia. With her were Commander Phila and Emmeryn.

_Oh fuck me. This is not how I wanted to meet._

"Why hello again Noah. Is something-," Emmeryn began. It was at that moment the men chasing me came around the corner with daggers still drawn. Cordelia and Phila had their lances out in an instant, causing the men to freeze. Before they could turn around and run through, I raised my Beretta and fired off three shots. There were more screams at the loud gunshots, and all three men fell. I looked over at the women, who were clearly shocked. Phila and Cordelia recovered quickly though and rushed over to check on the bodies.

"Two of them are dead, the third is still breathing," Phila called out. "I'll take him for questioning. Lady Cordelia, stay with the Exalt." She picked the man up and whistled for her Pegasus and Cordelia moved back to Emmeryn and me.

"That's quite the weapon you have there," the redhead said as she nodded towards my handgun.

"Thank you milady. I wish I hadn't needed to use it, but I was left with no choice," I replied. Cordelia was a lot shorter than I had imagined, but I guess it made sense that she would be short as a Pegasus Knight.

Connor came running up at that moment. "I heard gunshots and came as soon as I could. Is everything alright?"

"I think so," I said. Then it hit me. I had just killed four people. _I think I'm gonna be sick._ I stumbled slightly, and both Connor and Cordelia were at my side immediately to catch me.

"Bullshit. Come on, let's get you back to the Shepherds barracks," Connor said with a hint of concern as he held me steady.

"Thank you." I turned and grinned sheepishly at Cordelia. "Lady Cordelia, it was a pleasure to run into you —no pun intended— even if it wasn't under the best of circumstances."

Cordelia blushed slightly. "It was nice to meet you as well. Maybe we can meet again under better circumstances."

Emmeryn looked me in the eyes and chuckled softly as Connor led me away. _She definitely knows._

As soon as we rounded the corner and were out of sight I told Connor to duck into an alley for a moment. The full weight of what I had done was setting in. I had killed four people. People with lives and families of there own. Connor grabbed my arm and held on to me as I leaned over and felt the sickness in my stomach take over as I vomited. To his credit the Hunter didn't even flinch, having likely seen this same reaction before from others.

"First time is never easy," he reassured me.

"Does it get easier?"

"It depends. If you dehumanize your enemy you can do it without a second thought. Learned that the hard way. Seeing what we did to the Fallen though, that brought me back from the brink. They're trying to survive, just like us. Every time I kill one of them I wonder what could have happened if we were able to see eye to eye."

"How do you get over it?"

"Two things. First, I remind myself that I'm fighting for what is right and that it's either me or them. But I keep myself open, knowing that what is right might change at any moment."

"And the second?"

"I think of all the people who depend on me to keep them safe, and find comfort knowing that everything I do allows them to keep on living."

Connor fell silent after that. I stayed there for a few more minutes trying to regain my strength. When I was finally ready I stood up straight again. "Let's get back to the barracks," I said. Connor nodded and we left the alleyway. As we walked I processed my feelings. I still felt strange about the whole ordeal. Connor's words had helped. I had killed people, yes, but it was in self-defense. I was safe now.

So why didn't I feel that way?

* * *

**AN: We're back! This chapter didn't quite turn out the way I had originally intended, but I think it turned out alright. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you did please leave a review, as I'd love to know what you think of the story so far.**

** I'd also like to give a special thank you and congratulations to OnePunchPlayer for being the first person to review the story!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I switch between viewpoints in this chapter, just a heads up.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**(Connor)**

When Connor and Noah arrived back at the Shepherds barracks they were immediately bombarded with questions. Connor had the feeling that Noah just wanted to forget about it, but he did his best to answer as many questions as he could. _Good, better to talk about it then let it eat him up inside._ The questioning went on for about 15 minutes before finally coming to an end when someone burst through the door.

"Prince Chrom, we have a problem."

"And what might that be Commander Phila?" Chrom replied.

"Not here milord." She pointed to Noah. "You, come with us please."

Noah stood up, motioning for Connor to follow him, and the group stepped outside the barracks. There they were joined by the Exalt and the red-haired woman from earlier.

"Exalt Emmeryn, Lady Cordelia, it's nice to see you again so soon," Noah said politely. He then turned to Phila and immediately was all business. "I'm assuming this has something to do with the men who attacked me?"

"That would be correct. As it turns out, those were no ordinary street thugs," Phila began, "they were members of the Duvali crime family. Apparently one of the men you killed today was Tyr Duvali."

This seemed to surprise everyone, except for Connor and Noah, who had no idea why the death of this Tyr Duvali was so important. Cordelia, however, looked like she was seething with barely controlled rage. She was also staring at Chrom, but the two things were probably unrelated.

Noah sighed. "Let me guess, this guy was the son of the head of the Duvali crime family, and now dad's out for my blood."

Phila nodded. "That would be correct."

This earned a soft chuckle from Connor. "I know what that's like."

"As soon as Kesel Duvali found out that his son was murdered he sent his thugs out into the streets, where they have begun harassing the townsfolk. Kesel is acting on emotion right now, so we're hoping that he might make a mistake and we can finally bring him in," Phila continued.

"Why not just kill him?" Connor inquired, earning a scoff from Cordelia.

"You'd never even be able to get close to him without being killed. Everywhere he goes he brings his own personal army with him," she huffed. Her statement, however, had the opposite effect of what she had intended because it only served to make Connor laugh. "I don't see the humor in dying."

Connor just continued to laugh. "Lady, I kill myself for shits and giggles. Death means nothing to me. Besides, I've killed actual gods. I'm not afraid of some crime lord and his bodyguards."

Now it was Cordelia's turn to laugh. "What kind of fool do you take me for? Nobody can come back from the grave."

"We don't have time for this bickering," Emmeryn spoke up for the first time. "The people of Ylisstol are in danger. Chrom, I wish for you and the Shepherds to bring Kesel Duvali in alive."

"How do you expect us to do that Emm?"

Noah frowned as Emmeryn turned her gaze upon him. "By using me as bait," he said reluctantly.

"Not just you, but Lady Cordelia as well," Phila corrected.

This surprised Noah. "May I ask what makes Lady Cordelia viable bait?"

"Because," Cordelia sighed, "Kesel Duvali is my Uncle."

* * *

**(Noah)**

I was speechless. Cordelia's uncle was a crime lord? _Fuck, that means I killed her cousin. Welp, there go my chances with her._

"Chrom, please go inform the Shepherds of the plan," Emmeryn ordered. Chrom nodded and headed back into the barracks, Cordelia sighing softly as she watched him go. _Right, I forgot about that. No way I could ever compete with a prince, especially Chrom._

"Have fun being bait. You might something a little fancier than Young Wolf's Howl and a handgun though, so here. You shouldn't need to worry about ammo for this either. Enjoy," Connor said to me as he held out a weapon for me. Again, I was speechless. He was giving me the Vex Mythoclast.

I somehow managed to get out a "Thank you," as I accepted the gifted weapon. Connor smiled and turned to follow Chrom into the barracks.

"Commander Phila and I must be going, as we have other matters to attend to. Noah, I suggest you and Lady Cordelia discuss how you wish to approach things," Emmeryn said, winking at me as she did so. _At least Emmeryn believed in me. Maybe I did have a chance after all._

* * *

**AN: Another really short chapter. I hope to get another one out later today, but with Joker releasing for Smash tonight I don't know if I will.**

**If you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review, I'd love to know what your thoughts might be! Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**(Connor)**

Noah and Cordelia spent the next half hour or so outside the barracks talking. At first, it sounded as if they were coming up with a plan. Though eventually, the sounds of laughter indicated that the conversation had become more casual, and so the other Shepherds decided to have some fun.

"50 silver says the two of them hook up after all this is over," Sully said.

Connor chuckled. "Two gold says he doesn't tell her."

"Ooh! Ten gold says he at least gets her to stop fawning over Chrom," Lissa commented, shooting her brother an evil grin.

Chrom just smiled sheepishly.

"Ah, so that's why she was staring at you for that entire meeting," Connor realized. This earned a round of laughter from everyone in the room except for Chrom.

"Why do you think Noah won't tell her Connor?" Robin suddenly asked.

"Look at it through his eyes. He's a stranger from another world with no status or standing here, and she's a member of Ylisse's most prestigious knight order. He probably thinks she looks down on him. Plus, she's got a thing for Chrom, and it's hard to compete with a prince," Connor reasoned.

"So, Connor, how do you two know each other?" Chrom asked, trying to change the subject.

"The better question would be how he knows me, and the answer to that is a bit of a long story. As I'm sure you all have figured by now, Noah and I aren't from around here. How can I put this in a way that you all would understand…" Connor pauses, pondering. "The best way to describe it is this: I'm the future fulfillment of a prophecy from his time." Of course, by prophecy, Connor meant video game, but that bit of information wasn't important.

"That's badass," Sully said in amazement, earning several murmurs of agreement from the other Shepherds.

* * *

**(Noah)**

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but the planning Cordelia and I were doing derailed rather quickly.

"Thank you for this. It really helped calm my nerves. I'd very much enjoy spending time with you again after this is all over," Cordelia told me with a smile.

"I'd like that too," I replied, blushing slightly.

"It's a date then," she said with a smirk that could only mean she was on to me. "Now, let's inform the others of the plan."

_Well, that went much better than I expected,_ I thought to myself as I followed Cordelia into the barracks.

Two hours later, Chrom, Robin, Connor, Cordelia, and I had a final plan ironed out. "Does everyone agree on our current choice of action?" I asked. There were nods from everyone at the table and a snicker from Connor. The plan was for Cordelia and I to get a room at the Green Dragon Inn, which was also a front for a Duvali brothel and place that Kesel Duvali liked to frequent. Hopefully, the chance to grab both of us would be too much for the crimelord to pass up, and he'd make a move allowing Connor to capture him. Chrom and Robin would be on stand by in case something went wrong.

"So, you two have any big plans for when you get to the Green Dragon?" Connor asked through stifled laughter. Cordelia looked away immediately and blushed furiously. I blushed too, which only served to make Connor laugh harder.

"Anyways," Chrom began, saving Cordelia and I from our embarrassment, "if we want to do this, we need to do it now."

* * *

Forty-five minutes later Cordelia and I were in a room at the Green Dragon. The innkeeper must have recognized us as people that were wanted by Kesel, because our room was on the highest floor and at the end of the hall as far from the stairs as possible, with the only window facing the street. This meant that if we wanted to escape, we would either have to risk injury jumping three stories out the window or fight our way down the entire hallway. As soon as we reached the room I pointed this out to Cordelia.

"I noticed that as well," she said solemnly.

There was a brief moment of awkward silence.

"Welp, we don't know how long we're going to be here, so we might as well talk," I stated with a slight sigh.

"Yes, let's." She pointed to the words U.S. ARMY my jacket. "Tell me, what is the military like where you are from, and how long have you been in it?"

"Oh, I'm not actually United States Army. This was my father's, from when he was in the military. I have considered enlisting on multiple occasions though."

"United States? I've never heard of such — different world, right."

I nodded. "Things are very different there, but from what I've seen this world is a lot like what mine was centuries ago, at least in terms of societal and technological advancement."

"What is your world like now? Is it different enough that adjusting will be hard?"

"Yeah, adjusting will definitely be a challenge. As for what it's like, it's not perfect, but the country I'm from — the United States of America — is far better off than many other countries. Anybody can own land, education is free, government officials are elected by the people, we have devices that can let us access almost the entirety of all human knowledge, as well as talk to people all over the world at the same time, and they fit in the palm of your hand."

"Wow, it sounds wonderful."

"Unfortunately I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back. I wouldn't mind staying here though."

Cordelia smiled. "Well then, allow me to formally welcome you to this world!"

I blushed at her sudden outburst. "Thank you Lady Cordelia."

Now it was her turn to blush. "Please, call me Cordelia."

"Alright then. Thank you for the warm welcome Cordelia!" I exclaimed, making her laugh. Her laughter was contagious, and soon I was laughing along with her. We both stopped though when we heard voices outside. Cordelia shot me a look as she grabbed her lance, and I nodded in response as I raised the futuristic fusion rifle Connor had given me and took aim at the door.

* * *

**AN: In case anybody has noticed I don't really have a plan for this story outside of completing the main story of the game, so I'm kind of just winging it. If this gets to be super obvious I might create an outline. Anybody who spots the reference in this chapter gets a virtual cookie. Also, I've updated the characters section for the story now that the new Destiny characters I requested were added (the list was seriously lacking and VERY out of date).**

**Now for some review responses!**

**OnePunchPlayer: I hadn't considered how Connor's experiences might have been emotionally different from ours. I'll try to keep that in mind, but I don't want to change his snarky character too much. I'm glad you've been enjoying the story so far though! I don't plan on stopping until I finish the story of the main game, and I've even thought about doing an original sequel story set after the events of Awakening.**

**Tech nerd: Yes! I do plan to introduce the Taken at some point (one of the only things I've actually planned out)****, as well as other elements of the Destiny universe****. As for Grima, who's to say he's still **_**just a dragon?**_** You never know what could happen when Vex time travel is involved!**

**As per usual, if you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review! I love getting feedback on my writing, as it helps me grow. Until next time! **_**May the Traveler's Light be with you.**_


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: This chapter is a bit dark, just a heads up (The story is rated M for a reason).**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**(Noah)**

The voices outside the door suddenly stopped and the door swung open several inches. Something was thrown into the room and then the door was immediately slammed shut and locked from the outside. I looked closely at the small cube that had been tossed through the door, noticing several runes carved into the surface. It wasn't until the runes started glowing and the cube began hissing that I realized what it was. It was a fucking magic gas grenade.

"Cordelia! Get that window open!" I shouted. She spun her lance into the glass pane without hesitation, but the weapon just bounced off. It was also at this moment that I realized glass windows in an inn weren't normal for this time period. By this point, the room had slowly begun to fill up with a purple cloud and my head was throbbing. I rushed over to the bed and tore two stips off one of the sheets. "Tie this around your face, and breathe in as little as possible," I ordered as I handed her one of the strips of cloth. It would have worked better if I had been able to get the makeshift mask wet, but there wasn't a source of water in the room. Cordelia nodded and did as I said, a look of worry and terror in her eyes.

As my vision began to blur, I steeled my resolve. Whatever Kesel Duvali had done to Cordelia to make her so angry earlier and so afraid now most have been horrible. He was going to pay for what he had done to her. I watched as she slowly slipped into unconsciousness toppled to the floor, and soon after I did the same.

* * *

When I woke up next I was in a cell. Cordelia was nowhere to be seen, but I could hear her screaming and sobbing. Just thinking about what was happening to her filled me with rage. _That fucking bastard. Fuck bringing him in alive, he doesn't deserve to live._

I sat there fuming for several minutes before the screaming finally stopped. A few seconds later the cell door was opened and Cordelia was tossed in, naked. She immediately scampered into the corner and curled up into a ball, and I looked away in embarrassment.

"Now be a good girl for Uncle Kesel and maybe you'll get another reward," the man who had thrown her in the cell said before walking away. As soon as he was gone Cordelia broke down into tears. I took off my jacket and held it out to her without looking.

"Here, put this on."

She sniffled and tenderly accepted. "Thank you." There was a pause and some rustling as she slowly put the jacket on.

* * *

**(Connor)**

Something was wrong. It had been three hours since Noah and Cordelia had entered the inn. They should have signaled him by now.

"That's it. I'm going in," Connor growled from his perch atop the roof of the neighboring building. He jumped down into the street, people gasping in shock at the strange man who had just jumped three stories and landed on his feet unharmed. He pulled out his 4th Horseman shotgun and strode up to the door of the Green Dragon Inn and kicked it in pumping the quad barrel shotgun for dramatic effect. The door flew off the hinges and crashed into the back wall, just barely missing the desk attendant.

"Where is Kesel Duvali?!" the Hunter shouted at the man behind the counter as he leveled his weapon at his head.

"I don't know wha-"

Connor fired a blast into the wall behind him and pumped the shotgun again. There were screams outside the inn from the crowd that had begun to gather. "Wrong answer. Try again."

"He'll kill me!" the man screamed in terror.

Connor growled in response, grabbing him by the neck and fling him across the room. He fired the 4th Horseman a second time, blowing off the man's left arm. His screams were joined by more from outside. The Guardian walked over and leveled his shotgun at the man again. "You have ten seconds before I turn you into a red smear. Ten… nine… eight..." he pumped the shotgun again.

"OKAY OKAY OKAY! GODS THAT HURTS! There's a trapdoor behind the counter that leads to a tunnel, but Kesel has the only key."

"... six… five…"

"Wait, why are you still counting?"

"...two… one." Another blast from the 4th Horseman and the man was no more. The screams outside were a lot louder this time. Connor frowned from inside his helmet. "Three strikes, you're out."

Walking back over to the counter he took a look at the trap door. It was made out of very sturdy looking steel. It didn't stay that way for long though, because a single blast from Connor's grenade launcher was all it took to turn it into a smoldering heap of slag. Chrom and Robin chose that moment to finally show up. "You should have just let me find and kill the sonuvabitch. Now look what's happened," Connor complained.

"You've done enough killing for today!" Chrom shouted. "That man was innoce-"

"He worked for Duvali. Had the same tattoo on his neck as the men who tried to kill Noah," the Guardian corrected. "As for your other statement, I'm just getting started. Don't get in my way, I'd rather you not get hurt." He turned and started down the stairs into the tunnel.

* * *

**AN: A slightly shorter chapter today. We find out why Cordelia was so mad at the mention of Duvali a few chapters ago, even if it was a bit dark. Next chapter will probably just be Connor going on a murder stomp, not gonna lie.**

**Onto the review responses!**

**TrueNecromancer: Congratulations! You have earned a voucher for one virtual cookie! (*Please note that this voucher is actually worthless and cannot be redeemed for any cookies.)**

**Haro654: Thank you! It really means a lot to me that you enjoy the story. As for Noah and Cordelia getting to know each other, there will be A LOT more of that happening in the future.**

**OnePunchPlayer: Yeah, finding a way to implement elements of the Destiny universe without destroying the Fire Emblem universe is difficult. As for Connor and Lucina, I'm not too sure about that yet. I was leaning in that direction, what with both of them being time travelers and all.**

**Tech nerd: Like I said last time, expect the unexpected. Grima's still up in the air at this point.**

**As per usual, if you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review! I love getting feedback on my writing, as it helps me grow. Until next time, **_**May the Traveler's Light be with you.**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

* * *

**(Connor)**

After several minutes of walking, Connor reached the end of the tunnel only to find a thick steel door. He turned to check that Chrom and Robin were still behind him. "I'm gonna blow the door. Stand back," he warned them.

"Any requests for the soundtrack to your impending rampage?" his Ghost asked him.

"Something… classical," the Hunter replied. His statement was immediately met with the sound of loud electric guitars. With a grin, Connor called upon the power of the Aegis strapped to his arm. There was a flash of light as the blue shield regained its true shape. Summoning forth the power of the Traveler, he channeled massive amounts of energy into the Aegis before unleashing a bolt of pure Light from it. The bolt flew forward at tremendous speeds and ripped the door off its hinges.

The Guardian was through the doorway instantly. The first criminal to rush at him was flung against the far wall with a sickening thud as Connor swatted him aside with the Aegis. Another man came charging with a sword from the Hunter's left. He spun, deflecting the blow off the glowing shield as he drew his Trust hand cannon with his other hand and fired two shots into the man's gut. Two more men ran up from behind Connor, who simply backflipped up into the air and over them before bringing himself crashing to the ground with the Aegis and unleashing a powerful shockwave.

Having vanquished the last of his attackers, Connor stood and surveyed the room. Finding nothing of importance he turned and charged deeper into the Duvali hideout, summoning his Arc Staff as he did.

Chrom and Robin hadn't even had a chance to get through the doorway.

* * *

**(Noah)**

A series of panicked shouts, screams, and gunshots could be heard off in the distance. This prompted the Duvali thugs outside of the cell Cordelia and I were in to run off in a hurry, weapons in hand.

"I wonder what that was about?" Cordelia murmured. She had regained most of her composure, but I could tell she was still shaken up from earlier.

The noises quickly drew closer and I was able to make out the sound of music. I smiled to myself, knowing that it could only mean one thing.

Apparently Cordelia heard it too, because she asked, "What in Naga's name is that sound?"

I chuckled softly. "That would be the battle song of the cavalry."

"It sounds like a dying pig wailing to the sound of a Thunder spell gone wrong."

"That would be Brian Johnson and the sound of electric guitars, so you're almost right," I laughed at her description of AC/DC's Thunderstruck. "Give it a chance. It'll grow on you."

Cordelia opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the screams of a man who came flying down the stairs, blood splattering against the floor as he was shot through the chest before he could even hit the ground. Connor came sprinting down the stairs immediately afterwards, Trust in hand.

"Your gear is at the end of the hallway," he said as he shot the lock off the cell. "Chrom and Robin are farther behind holding our exfil route. I'm going to finish clearing this place out."

"I'm coming with you," I demanded. "Kesel is going to pay for what he's done."

* * *

**A****N: We're back! Sorry this took so long. I was busy with finals last week, and this week Outbreak Perfected was added to D2 _and_ I started work. I'll try not to fall so far behind again. Next chapter will be longer.**

**Now for review responses.**

**Haro654: Noah most likely will not be getting any Guardian abilities. Gonna leave the trauma of dying repeatedly to the professional.**

**As per usual, if you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review! I love getting feedback on my writing, as it helps me grow. Until next time, May the Traveler's Light be with you.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**(Noah)**

As Connor and I went deeper into the Duvali hideout I began to hate Kessel even more. There were several more cells filled with people, all of whom looked like they hadn't been fed properly in months. I growled in anger as we were freeing a fourth group from another cell. Connor had gone back and lead them part of the way to Chrom and the others, so I was alone.

"What kind of shitbag keeps people locked up like this?!" I shouted in disgust.

"One who makes a fortune from the slave trade," came a voice from behind me.

I spun around and raised the Felwinter's Lie shotgun at the person behind me.

"Whoa, easy there Gizmo," he exclaimed. The man had ginger hair and what looked like a toothpick sticking out of the corner of his mouth. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was actually the stick from a sucker. The hair, candy, and use of nicknames confirmed who this was.

"Gaius?"

"How do you know me?"

"I'll explain later," I sighed. _Why are you such a fuck up Noah?_

"Where's Kesel?"

"Down the hall to the left in the really big room. Why?"

"I'm gonna kill the bastard," I said as I pumped my shotgun for dramatic effect.

"Well good luck with that. I'm gonna get out of here," Gaius replied as he glanced around nervously.

"I'd recommend against trying to run for it. You'll get gunned down by Connor in an instant. Kneel here with your hands behind your head and your weapons laid on the ground in front of you, otherwise he'll probably shoot on sight."

Gaius nodded, a somewhat terrified look on his face as he did what I said. As I ran off to confront Kesel I could hear distant gunshots getting louder and what sounded like "Kickstart My Heart."

* * *

**(Connor)**

Connor sprinted through the compound, clearing room after room of Duvali's thugs, the sound of heavy metal heralding the approaching doom for the criminals.

_Ooh, yeah_

_Kick start my heart Give it a start_

The Hunter slid around a corner and brought his shotgun to blast one man down the length of the hallway he had just entered.

_Ooh, yeah, baby Ooh, yeah_

In one swift motion, Connor used the momentum from his slide to roll forward onto his feet, holstering his shotgun and drawing his Last Word in the process.

_Kick start my heart Hope it never stops_

Five men came charging down the hallway at the Guardian. Connor fanned the hammer of his hand cannon. Five shots rang out.

_Ooh, yeah, baby_

Five heads popped like balloons as the Hunter's bullets found their mark. Connor sprinted past the bodies before the even hit the floor.

* * *

**(Noah)**

I kicked in the door of the room that Kesel was supposed to be in. Sure enough there he was. In his hands was the Vex Mythoclast that Connor had given me. He started to say something, but I was so angry that I couldn't hear him.

I snapped my shotgun up and fired. Kesel staggered backward. I fired a second time, then a third, and the bastard fell to the floor. He was missing a giant chunk of flesh from the side of his chest and both his arms. I walked over to where he now lay groaning as he bled out. "You deserve a much more painful death than bleeding out. Have fun dying alone," I spat before picking up the weapon he had stolen from me and walking out the room.

* * *

**AN: Again, sorry it's been so long! I've been** _**SUPER**_ **busy with work. I want to get this out as fast as possible, so I'm going to skip review responses this time. I'll try to stay somewhat consistent with updates from here on out.**


	11. Chapter 11 (Kesel)

**Chapter 11**

**(Kesel)**

As Kesel Duvali lay dying, a strange robed figure appeared before him. They were pure darkness, and their very precsence sent chills down what was left of Kesel's spine. The robed figure reached out a hand, and he heard a disembodied voice call out.

"_You are a Crime Lord. Striking from the shadows and taking what you want. Every crook and thug relies on you. All of them want to be you. Your entire life is a performance: you play at strength, or you die of weakness._

_You have been taken._

_Take off your cape. Set down your weapons. No usurper watches you. Nothing is measuring your vulnerability._

_What are you proud of? What keeps you brave?_

_You were noble once. You know it. You wear the memory of power, so that you can lead. But power asks for challenge. Everything that sees your empire and your riches wants to kill you and take what you have. _

_If you cannot hide yourself, you must make them blind._

_There is a knife for you. It is shaped like [you cannot find me]._

_Take up the knife. Breathe the blade. Take your new shape."_

Kesel's vision was flooded with darkness, and then he was gone.

* * *

**AN: Just a short bit here setting up for something later.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

* * *

**(Connor)**

Eventually Connor ran across Robin and Cordelia while fighting through the compound. Robin waved as she saw him approach. "Hey Connor. If you're wondering where Chrom is, he's taking care of the people we rescued," the tactician said.

"Where's Noah?" Cordelia asked.

"This way," Connor responded as he grinned under his helmet. She was definitely into Noah.

* * *

**(Noah)**

After killing Kesel I went back to find Gaius before Connor did. As I neared where I had left him I heard talking. "I swear I didn't do anything to him! I told him where Kesel was and he said to stay put, so I did." Apparently I was a little too late. I rounded a corner and was surprised to find Cordelia holding the tip of her Lance to Gaius' neck. "He's telling the truth Cordelia. He helped me, and I'm sure Chrom would say that makes him Shepherd material."

"And Kesel?" she asked.

"I put him down like the rabid dog he was." I replied, still furious at what he had done to her. "He won't hurt you or anyone else ever again."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Connor called out from the direction of the room where I had killed Kesel.

"What do you mean?" I asked incredulously.

"It's better that you all see for yourself," he said as he returned to the group and tossed me my Mythoclast. "Don't lose that again," he added.

As we entered the room my heart fell as I was hit with a sickening wave of nausea. The room was covered in Taken goo and Kesel's body was nowhere to be seen. "What in Naga's name is this?" Cordelia asked, her face green.

"Residual Taken energy," the Guardian answered.

"The hell does that mean?" Gaius asked. He too looked sick. Robin however seemed fine, which was very concerning.

"It means Kesel's been Taken."

"Taken where? And by whom?" Robin asked in confusion.

"Not that kind of taken," I sighed. "He's basically been turned into a Risen, only worse in just about every way possible." I turned to Connor. "Were there any blights?"

"One. I destroyed it as soon as I saw it. Any thoughts on who we might be dealing with?"

"There are a few, none of them good. Savathun, Xivu Arath, and Quria all come to mind," I responded while shooting Connor a look that said _"We need to talk more in private."_

Connor nodded. "Let's go. We need to tell Chrom about this. Hopefully nothing else from my world managed to make its way to this one."

* * *

**AN: Another short chapter this time. I'll try to update more frequently, but it's been very difficult lately with work.**

**Review Responses!**

**Haro654: Yep! The Taken are here, and they're more than happy to expand their army.**

**OnePunchPlayer: Don't worry, I didn't forget. ;)**

**As per usual, if you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review! I love getting feedback on my writing, as it helps me grow. Until next time, May the Traveler's Light be with you.**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Sorry it's been so long between updates. I've been in a downward spiral of depression lately that's made writing very hard. This is just gonna be a short chapter to serve as proof of life. I'm hoping to get this story rolling again once school starts back up in a few weeks.**

**Chapter 13**

**(Noah)**

I spent a lot of the way back to the barracks comforting Cordelia, who was still very shaken by what had just happened. Once we got back to the barracks however I was immediately pulled aside by Connor. "You know way more about my world than you're letting on. Explain," he said gruffly.

I nodded hesitantly. "Have you heard of the Othersider theory?" I asked, hoping he knew what I was talking about. I didn't want to explain it.

"The theory that there is someone on the other side of reality who knows everything about you and more? Yeah, I've heard of it."

"I'm-"

"My Othersider. Yeah, I know," the Hunter said with a sigh. "I would have had to tell you eventually, might as well do it now." With that, he pulled down his good and removed his helmet.

Oh you have got to be fucking kidding me!

Staring me in the face- was my face. Except it wasn't mine, it was Connor's.

"What the fuck."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**(Noah)**

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After recovering from the initial shock of learning that I was in fact Connor's Othersider, I was able to finish filling him in on the list of potential Taken threats that could have invaded this world. "The obvious contenders are Savathun, Xivu Arath, Riven-"

"Hang on," Connor interrupted. "I killed her. How is she a potential threat?"

"Ahamkara transcend death, that's why their bones are so powerful. How do you think Eris escaped the Hellmouth on the moon?" I shot back. Connor opened his mouth, likely to ask about Eris, before I continued. "I'll explain the Eris thing later. You are correct though. It would be difficult for her to effect a different universe, but I can't in good conscious take her off the table." The Hunter nodded in response, seemingly satisfied for now.

"However, it's the last two that make the most sense, and therefore worry me the most. Quria, the first Vex Mind. She was Taken by Oryx and later given to Savathun as a gift. Quria learned how to Take by simulating Oryx, and as far as I know is the only other entity that can Take."

"And the last one?" the Guardian asked.

"It's only a crackpot theory, but it's a theory nonetheless," I answered with a sigh. "In order for it to be the case here there would have to be some time travel fuckery happening."

"You mean even more than there already is?" Connor asked with a chuckle.

"I'm being serious here!" I snapped.

"Alright, geez. Just cut the bullshit and tell me who it is then."

"You."

"The fuck? How?"

It took me awhile to explain everything to Connor. How him killing Oryx left the Osmium Throne open, and how the Sword Logic dictated that he should be the one to take the throne and assume the mantle of Taken King. Then I had to explain how a future version of him who had done that very thing wound up in the timeline and universe we were currently in. Needless to say, it was a lot to take in.

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**AN: Another proof of life update here. Sorry for taking forever to update this story, and for only posting very short chapters when I do. My life is still a bit of a mess right now. I'm not giving up on this story though, so be sure to check back in every now and then. Or you can follow the story to get notified when I do update it with new chapters.**

**Take care, and may the Traveler's Light be with you.**


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